Friday Morning Sports – Husker Softball Downs Illinois; Heads to Semifinals, Nebraska Baseball Hosts Final Home Series, Kearney Catholic Girls Win C-8 District; Boys Runner-Up, State Baseball Begins, State Soccer Schedules, Local Sports Schedules

HUSKER SOFTBALL DOWNS ILLINOIS; HEADS TO BIG TEN SEMIFINALS:

Behind fifth-year senior Courtney Wallace, the Nebraska softball team (34-19) shut out Illinois, 1-0, in Champaign on Thursday night to advance to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinal. 

Junior Sydney Gray produced the game’s lone run with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning that scored freshman Katelyn Caneda. That was the only run Wallace would need, as she pitched her fourth shutout of the season.

The Huskers and the Northwestern Wildcats face off at 7:30 p.m. today in Champaign. The game can be watched on the Big Ten Network.

NEBRASKA BASEBALL BEGINS FINAL HOME SERIES WITH PENN STATE:

Nebraska plays its final home series of the season, as the Huskers host Penn State for a three-game series this weekend at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

The Big Red have a huge test to end the semester, as winning both the Penn State series and the final series of the year at Purdue next week may lock in the Huskers to a Big Ten tournament berth.

Today’s series opener is set for 6:05 p.m., while Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:02 p.m. on BTN. The series finale between the Huskers and Nittany Lions is set for 11:02 a.m. on ESPN2 on Sunday. Friday and Saturday’s matchups can also be heard on KGFW. 

Since joining the Big Ten in 2012, Nebraska holds a dominant 14-2 advantage in 16 all-time meetings against Penn State – including being 5-1 in contests held in Lincoln.

Pregame coverage on KGFW begins at 5:30 PM tonight with the Husker Radio Network.

KEARNEY CATHOLIC GIRLS T&F WIN C-8 DISTRICT; BOYS RUNNER-UP:

The Kearney Catholic girls track and field team won the day in Oxford, claiming the C-8 District title in Southern Valley. The boys fared well, ultimately ending as runner-up behind North Platte St. Patrick’s.

The Stars’ girls qualified four athletes in eight events – including one relay. Qualifiers for the state meet include: Payton Dzingle, 100 m, 400 m, 4×100; Margaret Haarberg, 100m Hurdles, High Jump, 4×100; Alyssa Onnen, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump 4×100; and Hazel Haarberg, Long Jump, 4×100.

The Kearney Catholic Boys ended as runner up in the district meet with dominant performances from their throws. Automatic state qualifiers include: Sam Luther, 800 m; Miles Sughroue, 3200 m; Brant Christner, Shot Put; Garrett O’Hare, Shot Put, Discus; Logan Roggasch, Discus; Owen Axmann, High Jump; and Zebediah Black, Triple Jump.

State Track & Field takes place at Omaha’s Burke Stadium beginning with Classes A and B on Wednesday next week. Classes C and D begin action on Thursday. 

LOPER WBB NEW HEAD COACH JOHNSON FORMALLY INTRODUCED:

Nebraska-Kearney head women’s basketball coach Drew Johnson was formally introduced to the campus and Kearney communities Thursday with a press conference in the Weins Room of Ron & Carol Cope Stadium. 

Johnson was named the eighth coach in program history on May 9 and replaces Carrie Eighmey who left to be the new head coach at Division I Idaho.

STATE BASEBALL BEGINS, SCHEDULE ADJUSTED FOR IMPENDING STORMS:

Due to forecasted severe thunderstorms late in the day, the first Class A State Baseball game is moving to a 9 a.m. start.

The tournament will move to a rolling schedule, meaning games 2, 3 and 4 will begin approximately 30 minutes after the preceding game.

All of today’s first round matchups for Class A are to be played in Papillion at Werner Park. The action starts with No. 1 Millard West facing No. 8 Grand Island in the opening contest of the double elimination tournament.

HUSKER FOOTBALL MAKES NINTH IN-STATE OFFER TO WESTSIDE’S TEDDY REZAC:

Nebraska made its ninth in-state offer Thursday to Omaha Westside athlete Teddy Rezac.

The 6-foot-3 1/2, 185-pound Rezac is listed as an athlete, but many project him to be an outside linebacker at the next level.

It was Rezac’s fourth Power Five offer as the Huskers joined Notre Dame, Boston College and Missouri.

Rezac lasted visited NU on Apr. 6 for a Husker spring practice. He’s now the fifth member of the 2022 Omaha Westside team to be offered by Nebraska.

Rezac joins 2023 NU signees Jaylen Lloyd (wide receiver) and Tristan Alvano (kicker), along with 2024 defensive back Caleb Benning and 2025 linebacker Christian Jones.

Rezac’s twin brother Anthony Rezac remains high on several D-I radars as an athlete/quarterback. 

ARIZONA CARDINALS CLAIM FORMER HUSKER OFF WAIVERS:

The Arizona Cardinals have picked up a former Husker defensive lineman off of waivers. 

Ben Stille, 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, was an undrafted rookie last year out of Nebraska who signed originally with the Miami Dolphins, where Cardinals defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc was on staff.

Stille appeared in one game and spent time on the practice squad before the Browns signed him to their active roster. He appeared in six games for Cleveland. He finished the season with five tackles and a quarterback hit.

While at Nebraska, he played in 53 games (34 starts) and had 148 tackles (69 solo), 14.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble.

NFL SEASON TO BEGIN IN KC; LIONS AT CHIEFS:

Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will kick off the NFL season against the upstart Detroit Lions in a matchup of high-powered offenses and will host Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch on “Monday Night Football” in Week 11.

Aaron Rodgers will make his New York Jets debut in the first Monday night game of the season against the Buffalo Bills and later faces the Miami Dolphins in the NFL’s first Black Friday game on Nov. 24.

Full NFL schedules for each team can be found here.

STATE BASEBALL SCORES/SCHEDULES:

FRIDAY SCHEDULE – CLASS A:

#1 Millard West v. #8 Grand Island – 9 AM @ Werner Park

#4 Gretna v. #5 Creighton Prep – 30 minutes after MW/GISH @ Werner Park

#2 Lincoln East v. #7 Bellevue West – 30 minutes after LE/BW @ Werner Park

#3 Elkhorn South v. #6 Papillion-LaVista South – 30 minutes after ES/PLVS @ Werner Park

STATE SOCCER SCORES/SCHEDULES:

THURSDAY RESULTS:

CLASS B GIRLS QUARTERFINALS:

Omaha Duchesne 3-0 Omaha Gross Catholic

Norris 5-2 Bennington (Shootout)

Omaha Skutt Catholic 4-1 Elkhorn North

Omaha Mercy 2-1 Columbus Scotus

FRIDAY SCHEDULE:

CLASS A BOYS SEMIFINALS:

#1 Gretna v. #5 Papillion-LaVista South – 12 PM

#2 Lincoln SW v. #6 Creighton Prep – 2 PM

CLASS A GIRLS SEMIFINALS:

#1 Gretna v. #5 Omaha Westside – 5:30 PM

#2 Lincoln SW v. #3 Lincoln East – 7:30 PM

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES/SCHEDULES:

THURSDAY RESULTS:

Boston Celtics 95-86 Philadelphia 76ers (Tied 3-3)

DENVER NUGGETS 125-100 Phoenix Suns (DEN wins 4-2)

FRIDAY SCHEDULE:

New York Knicks @ Miami Heat (MIA leads 3-2) – 6:30 PM

Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers (LAL leads 3-2) – 9 PM

NHL PLAYOFFS SCORES/SCHEDULES:

THURSDAY RESULTS:

CAROLINA HURRICANES 3-2 New Jersey Devils (CAR wins 4-1)

Dallas Stars 5-2 Seattle Kraken (DAL leads 3-2)

FRIDAY SCHEDULE:

Florida Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs (FLA leads 3-1) – 6 PM

Edmonton Oilers @ Vegas Golden Knights (Tied 2-2) – 9 PM

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Boys Golf: @ Awarii Dunes Invite
    • KHS = 1st overall
    • INDIVIDUAL:
      • Dylan Dahlstedt = 1st
      • Perry Swarm = 2nd
      • Koji Kitabatake = 3rd
      • Cole Gappa = 14th
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Boys Golf: @ Awarii Dunes Invite
    • KCHS = 2nd overall
    • INDIVIDUAL:
      • Jack Dunham = 7th
      • Landon Edeal = 8th
      • Quinten Hogeland = 10th
      • Tate Redinger = 11th
• Track & Field: DISTRICTS @ Southern Valley
  • BOYS: 2nd (95 pts)
  • GIRLS: T-1st (102.5 pts)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Girls Tennis: @ HAC Championships @ Woods Tennis Center – 8 AM
  • Boys Golf: @ Norfolk Invite @ Norfolk Country Club – 9 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F @ Concordia Twilight @ Seward, NE – 12 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Penn State (5:30 PM – 10 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: v. Loper Twilight @ Kearney High School – 2 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Baseball v. Penn State (5:30 PM – 10 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • N/a